Bessborough Cricket Club 1st Eleven squad

FIRST ELEVEN

Over the years, the club has had an exceptional first eleven and has produced some outstanding players who have starred for the club and gone higher up the cricketing pyramid. The most famous former member of our first eleven is former England, Middlesex and Surrey batsman Mark Ramprakash who starred for the club in the 1980s.

The club's first eleven achieved promotion back to the Middlesex Cricket League in 2014. Led by captain Rohan Karkhanis, the first eleven topped the Middlesex Championship, winning the title with one week to spare. Not only did they achieve promotion, they went the entire summer unbeaten.
In 2015, the team struggled with consistency and it was real achievement staying in the Division at the end of the season. A flurry of late wins meant we stayed up on the final weekend and could look forward to another season in the Middlesex Cricket League.

The 2016 season led a raft of changes in the playing conditions, most notably the introduction of 45-over win/lose format for half the season. As ever, the team had quality on paper but were unable to capitalise early on the new format until another surge towards the end of the season. Vital results against promotion candidates, led them to safety with a game to spare, condemning another local rival to relegation on their way.

2017 was not a successful campaign for the 1st XI. Relegated from the Middlesex Cricket League, into the Championship. However, hopes are high for 2018, new blood has been bought into the team and leadership group revamped to add some "pazzaz" to the flagship team. BRING ON 2018

Being led by Hemmen Jutla, a strong core remains in the squad; many of which have played together for many years through the colts division. Hemmen has plenty of experience in captainship through his youth, collecting numerous trophies on the way and hopes to bring this success to the flagship team of the club.

A free scoring and dashing top order batsman, Hemsey has been a key performer for our First Eleven in the last few seasons. He is another product of our excellent junior section and captained youth sides for many years.

In recent seasons Hemsey has backed up his outstanding talent with a run of scores for our First eleven. He has recently experimented with different positions in the batting order. Finding strength at the top of the order, setting the tone early and looking to dominate opening bowlers from the outset.

Maintaining his athleticism, Hemsey still remains one of the quickest fielders at the club and has one of the biggest arms at the club.

Role: Right Arm Fast, Right Arm Bat
Nickname: Des, Del-boy, Dench, The Beast from the East

Desai is an aggressive opening bowler, who leaves everything on the field. He is another member of our highly successful Colts setup and since finishing university he has become an integral part of our side. He uses every part of his 6ft 4in frame to generate as much pace as possible and bowls a searing pace. He is a real in your face quick bowler in the mould of Australian bowler Brett Lee.

He is no mug with the bat either who is capable of blocking up and end or giving the ball a good whack. He scored his first senior half century in 2013 in a Sunday League game at Highgate.

Surprisingly for a quick bowler he is an excellent fielder and one of the club's most reliable catchers. Even more surprisingly, he is an occasional, yet outstanding wicketkeeper for the Sunday 1st XI

Niv is looking to make up for lost time this summer after missing the entire 2015 season due to a serious injury.

He has has shown real talent with the bat in recent seasons, scoring seven half centuries since April 2013. In 2014 he had an even more impressive campaign, striking four half centuries and scoring 417 runs at an average of 41.70.

His best performance of 2014 was a match winning 84 not out against Birbeck College which gave our first eleven a four wicket win in June 2014.

As well as being regular in our First Eleven on Saturday's, Niv captained our Sunday side in 2013. He also had an excellent all round season in 2013 taking 30 wickets and scored 368 runs with two half centuries.

As well as staring with the bat, he has also been exceptional swing bowler in recent years.He is an aggressive attacking swing bowler who has come on leaps and bounds in recent seasons. Niv has often performed the role as a death bowler and he has an excellent slower ball.

Off the field, Niv is a great crack and he is the only Borough player ever to bowl wearing a pink alice band.

Bill is another talented young cricketer who has progressed through our successful colts system. He is a very talented batsman who can is technically very correct who can play shots all around the ground.

As wicket-keeper he is highly talented but has had his opportunities restricted by Wayne Whitson and Jigar Shah in recent seasons, so has played mostly in the First Eleven as a batsman.

His studies have got in the way of his cricket in recent years so hopefully he can play more regularly in 2016.

One of the club's best young prospects, Vidoosha has started the 2015 season in the same way that he left last season by scoring runs for our senior sides.

A talented and free flowing opening batsman, Doosha has been a high scorer for our junior sides and represented both Middlesex and borough. He started 2015 by scoring two half centuries for our Third Eleven which game him some opportunities for our Second Eleven where he did not look out of place.

A free flowing scorer all round the wicket, Doosha is very strong through the offside especially off the front foot.

The son of our Colts Chairman, Raj. Tharshan is a very talented high order bat who has matured in recent seasons and has started to put the scores on the board that everybody knew he was capable of. He has been a key player in our junior sides in the past and has started show his class.

Tharsh is a very gifted high order batsman who loves to take his time at the middle.
He is for all purposes, a classic number 3 batsman. If the ball is moving around early on he is quite happy to see the bowling off and score once he gets in or if the bowling is a little loose he will go on the attack.

2015 was Tharshan's best season for the senior side as he plundered 436 runs including three half centuries for our First and Second Elevens.

As well as being an excellent batsman, he is a handy spin bowler and excellent fielder.

Gihan joined the club before the start of 2015 season after he was introduced by Second Eleven allrounder Eranda Jayasinghe. He had a brilliant debut season that saw him score over 400 runs and take 23 wickets.

He is a multi functional cricket who is talented with both bat and ball and is excellent in the field.

With the bat he is capable of scoring runs all around the wicket and has excellent technique against all types of bowling. With the ball he is a medium pacer who bowls a hard ball.

Kushal has returned to the club in the last two seasons making a handful of appearances for the first and second elevens. Kush was another graduate of our high quality colts system.

Kushal is a high class opening or top order batsman who on his day can score all round the ground.

He started 2015 with a bang winning the Player of the Month Award for April-May after scoring over 300 runs including a century in the National Cup against Harpenden. He finished the season with a total of 579 runs at an average of 30.47.

A classy and talented top order batsman, Rishi made a triumphant return to the club in 2013 after a couple of seasons away. He scored nearly 300 runs for our Second Eleven including two half centuries. His season was so successful was named by Phil Bush as our Second Eleven Player of the Season.

He built on these performances in 2014 when he starred for Rohan Karkhanis' 'Invincibles'. He struck two half centuries including an excellent 75 on the final game of the season at Old Actonians. His form continued in 2015 where he scored over 250 runs once more.

A genuine stroke-maker, Rishi looks to take attack against most bowling attacks. He is comfortable against all types of bowling and plays shots all around the ground.

Like most gifted sportsmen, Rishi is a true allrounder. He is an excellent fielder and bowls some handy medium pace.

Vivek is another exciting young cricketer who has produced some outstanding performances for our senior sides in recent seasons. He is a true all-rounder who is capable of winning games for our First and Second Elevens with both bat and ball in his hand. He is a dynamic stroke player with the bat and a skiddy medium pace bowler who is a yard quicker than he appears.

In the last three seasons he has struck five half centuries with a best of 80 not out against Northwood Town for The Barbarians last summer.

With the ball his spell of 5-43 for our second eleven against Wycombe House in May 2014 was his best display to date.

Vivek joined the club's youth setup aged 15 and developed his cricket very quickly. He also plays Sunday cricket for Neasden who hire our third eleven ground.

Sanil joined the club about 6 years ago and since joining he has excelled firstly in the second eleven and in recent years has played in the first eleven.

He is probably best suited to batting 5 or 6 and is a very good accumulator of runs with shots all around the ground. He is also has a very solid defence and has often batted for long periods when required.

At backward point there are few better currently at the club. He lets very few balls past him in that area and is an excellent fielder.

Mits is another product of our excellent junior system and he has become a vital member of our senior sides since 2011.
Everybody at the club is sure that Mit will develop into a fine allrounder in the coming seasons but his main role currently is with the ball.

Last summer was the first season that he showed his outstanding talent with the bat as he scored 344 runs at an average of 31 and struck three half centuries.

Mit is an excellent off spin bowler who bowls big spinning off break and a clever arm ball. He is also not afraid to give the ball some air when needed and he doesn't get intimidated if a batsman tries to get after him.
After showing much promise in 2010, it was one year later that was his breakthrough with his performances seeing him win the senior bowler of the year award.

He has continued to excel and in 2014 he picked up a career best 35 wickets.
In four of the last five seasons he has taken 20+ wickets and become a vital member of our first and second eleven squads.